Sidem, independent European manufacturer of premium steering and suspension parts for the replacement market since 85 years, has many renowned customers. One of them, Porsche in Germany, tested to the limit the company’s in-house know-how.
OE-quality through R&D
In 2010, Sidem was chosen as supplier of replacement parts for the active suspension of the Porsche 911 Sport model. “Quality commitment is evident to us“, said Geert Desmyter, Technical Manager at Sidem. “We maintain and perfect it thanks to our renowned R&D department, our state-of-the-art testing center and ultramodern CNC machinery. Still, convincing Porsche was anything but simple, because this customer literally demands perfection in everything. We therefore needed to deploy all our know-how during the audits, tests and initial production phase. But we succeeded brilliantly: in 2011, Sidem was selected as supplier. Porsche is of course a good reference for us, because it shows that even for the most demanding premium brands, we are able to supply products that meet their standards.” Best proof: when Porsche launched a brand new model of its 911, in 2018, Sidem was again chosen as supplier of the parts.
Re-engineering by inhouse experts
And the story doesn’t end there. In 2016, Sidem became supplier of parts for the Porsche 924 and 944 Classic models. Then, in 2017, a tender was submitted for two older models of the Porsche 911: the 933 and 933RS. “That did not initially go as planned“, admits Geert Desmyter. “As the quality requirements of Porsche are extremely strict, as I said, the results of the initial water resistance tests were not immediately satisfactory. But with our in-house experts, who re-engineered the parts down to the smallest details, we ended up meeting the expectations here too”.
Finally, Sidem was recently nominated for the production and delivery of the aluminum arms for the Porsche 928 Classic. Currently, the first prototypes are being manufactured. The Porsche and Sidem success story seems to have good days ahead of it.
Out now: the Sidem 2024 catalogue for steering and suspension parts.
Ball joint lubrication is important to prevent the part from drying out, corroding and wearing. The grease used in Sidem parts is co-engineered with Klüber Lubrication and assures a much longer life time due to a smoother movement and protection against water infiltration. Sidem always engineers its parts with in mind the longest possible lifespan, maximum safety, comfort and an easy installation.
FUTURE PROOF PRODUCTION IN ROMANIA
“Thanks to our long tradition in the car industry, we have managed to find people with the right skills and the right mindset.”
